Christmas Blues
by Angel Dove1
Summary: Christmas is supposed to be the happiest time of the year, but for Jounouchi it's the time he has to choose between Christmas presents and his livelihood. Which one would he chose and will it be the correct one? How does Seto get involved and what will happen when an act of kindness blows up in Seto's face. Yaoi warning
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh or any of the characters. Sad isn't it?

Merry Christmas to everyone that celebrates Christmas like I do and Happy Holidays to everyone that celebrates different holidays. This is my Christmas present to all of you. I almost didn't make it this year. I didn't have an idea until a week and a half ago. Life gets too stressful at times. I hope everyone likes this. I know this is early, but I might not have time in the next few days to upload it.

This is a oneshot even though there are two chapters. I didn't want to put this in one chapter because it's quite long.

Warnings: Shounen ai (MaleXMale) If you don't like it please don't read this

HHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Christmas is viewed as the happiest time of the year. A time when family and friends gather together. It was the time that Jounouchi despised the most. He could easily brush off his feelings and do what he could for his friends and family, but nothing seemed good enough to him. He strived for more, but kept falling just inches short of his goal line. All he wanted was to celebrate one Christmas with the joy he saw in the eyes of all his friends. He could understand how they could feel. He would feel the same if he had that same anticipation. The trill of watching his friends opening a gift that they long yearned for. The joy of realizing that your friends know you better than expected as you opened their gift. The love of a family dinner where he would share stories of past times and laugh at all the humorous events.

The blond sighed and stared at the small amount of money in his wallet, wondering if he would ever enjoy Christmas like most people did. Counting the money for the fifth time that morning, he dropped to the couch and placed his head in his hands. No matter how he looked at it, there was no way he could afford gifts for everyone this year. Who could he leave out? Shizuka would understand if she didn't get the gift from him until after Christmas, especially since they hardly saw each other. The unfortunate part of that scenario was that he was unable to get in contact with her to let her know that he wouldn't have a gift for their yearly meet this year. Since he didn't have money for the utilities, everything had been shut off for the second month in a row.

Jounouchi dropped his wallet and wrapped his jacket around himself as another coughing fit tore through his sickened body. The air was knocked out of his lungs, making it nearly impossible for him to take a deep breath. Brushing the tears from his eyes, he decided to find something for his friends. At least when he showed up to see Shizuka, he could explained to her that he'll mail the gift once he had money to buy it. He couldn't tolerate seeing the disappointment in his friends faces when he showed up empty handed for the second year in a row. The only one that ever understood and never gave him a hard time about it was Yugi. He never badgered him about how much he spent and why he couldn't find the time and money to get a gift for his friends.

That was probably one of the reasons why he considered Yugi his best friend. He understood that during these winter months Jounouchi needed more money in order to heat his horribly drafty home. Deciding that he wouldn't get far just sitting there, the blond stood, slightly unsteady, and moved out of the house. Oddly enough it felt warmer outside than inside his home. He walked down the deserted snow covered roads until he left his rundown neighborhood and entered into the brightly lit well trafficked area. Attempting to fight the coughs, he went into the first department store. He felt the warmth of the store and nearly collapsed from the sudden change in temperature. Holding onto the nearby clothing rake as he another coughing fit threatened to steal the breath from him, he knew he should go to the hospital or the doctor's for his cough, but he didn't have a chance of being able to afford it. Blinking the tears away, he struggled to stand up straight, oblivious to the concerned eyes watching him. He just needed to find four cheap gifts and then he could return to his cold home and sleep.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Yugi frowned as he stared at another statue he wanted to get Jounouchi for Christmas. He wanted the Red Eyes Black Dragon to be depicted in attack position, but every statue showed him with his head down and looked submissive. He sighed, thinking that he would have to go to his backup plan. He placed his hands in his pocket, choosing to try one more store before giving up on the statue. As he made his way towards the entrance, he heard someone coughing. "Sounds painful," he thought, feeling pity for the person that obviously was sick during the worst part of the year.

When he reached the door, he saw the person who was coughing. He gasped, seeing the blond hair that belonged to his best friend. He stopped himself from immediately going over to his friend. He wanted to help him and obviously get him the hospital, but he knew Jounouchi's position. He knew there was no way he could afford a bill like that, but he was risking his life. He didn't know when his friend got sick, being busy with work and shopping. He moved closer to him, but Jounouchi moved away from where he stood and staggered further into the store.

Yugi reached out his hand to him, but his words froze. Jounouchi disappearing among the merchandise snapped the tri-colored hair man out of his haze. He moved swiftly through the streets, knowing exactly where he was heading. He knew his friend wouldn't appreciate what he had planned, but he wasn't ready to lose the blond either. Running quickly through the slippery streets he found himself outside of a large cement wall concealing the large home decorated simply for Christmas. He knew that Mokuba would be home but he wasn't sure about Kaiba and Kaiba was the one he needed this time.

He pressed the button several times on the device just outside of the tall steel gates. He waited only seconds before pushing it again. "Please be home," Yugi pleaded with all the gods.

"Why are you here?" a cold tired, voice sounded through the device.

"Please let me in. I need to speak with you."

A long moment passed, making Yugi think that he wouldn't receive the help he desperately needed, but the gates opened. He moved quickly through them, not letting them open fully before he ran up the long driveway. Kaiba stood at the doorway; dark circles showed that the busy Christmas season was difficult even for the CEO. He moved away from the door, leading Yugi into the living room down the hallway from the front door. "I don't know if there is much time. I need your help even though I know it would be against everything he stands for," Yugi rambled, unable to sit long enough to explain.

Kaiba placed his hands on Yugi's shoulders and pushed him into the seat. "Take a few deep breaths and explain everything to me." The CEO didn't have time to deal with the emotions of others. He had to still go through the order papers requesting more dueling devices and other things required for the Christmas rush. They only had five shopping days left, and he worried that he wouldn't have enough stock in his warehouses. That didn't bode well for him. This would be the first year he had trouble keeping up with the demand. He pushed his worries to the side, giving Yugi his full attention, knowing that the shorter man would not seek his help unless it was vital. Plus, Yugi didn't look well. He looked pale and nervous.

"It's Jounouchi. We haven't seen him in a little over two weeks because he's been working a lot and when he had spare time he never got in contact with us. I called him several times and he always refused to meet with me. I happened to see him today and he..." Yugi stopped, unable to finish the sentence. "Please help him. If he doesn't get help, he'll die. I know he may hate me for asking you, and he may not seek help on his own, but he won't survive without help. I feel terrible, but I don't have the money to give him what he needs. Please, Kaiba, please help him."

"You are still not making sense. Is someone threatening his life? Did someone hurt him?"

"I think he's very sick on the verge of dying. When I saw him at the store he could barely stand. He was coughing so severely that he gasped for breath. I could have swore that he was going to collapsed afterward. I wanted to grab him and force him to the hospital, but I know that he wouldn't go. He doesn't have the money to pay for it. I don't have the money to even think about covering that cost either. I fear that the doctors would not help him if they know he can't pay. Please help him."

Kaiba rubbed his tired eyes. He needed to get the paperwork finished by the end of the night, and he knew he had to help Jounouchi. He was all too aware of the fact that the blond had no money. He could tell that by the clothes he owned. Everything about him screamed poverty-stricken. He also knew that the blond was an extremely proud man that would never sink so low to ask for help, especially from someone he deemed his rival. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed heavily. Even though he knew he would hurt the blond's pride severely and do more damage mentally, there was no other way to get the help Jounouchi needed. He wasn't ready to lose him, not when there was something he wanted to tell him. "We need to find him. From what you describe he could have the pneumonia or worse. Would he still be at that store?"

"I don't know."

"Call him and find out. Act normal. We don't want to shock him into running."

Yugi stood, retrieving his phone from his pocket. He dialed a number that he would never forget and waited for Jounouchi to answer. "Hey, Yugi," Jounouchi breathily said.

"Hi, Jounouchi. Where are you?"

"On my way home. Why?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out today."

"Not today. I'm really tired."

"Okay. Maybe some other day. Get some rest." Yugi disconnected the call and turned his gaze back to Kaiba. "He said he was on his way home."

"Wait here. I need a few things and to inform Mokuba that I will be back much later." Kaiba disappeared quickly through the doorway and walked the carpet covered staircase. He stopped at Mokuba's room first, telling him that Jounouchi was sick, and he was going to help him. He packed up his laptop into his suitcase, deciding to work on the reports while he was waiting for the doctors to evaluate Jounouchi. He moved back downstairs to retrieve Yugi. "Follow me to the garage. I will need your directions to his house."

HHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The journey to Jounouchi's home was quiet and short. Kaiba didn't obey any traffic laws, but managed to get to their location without causing any harm to anyone else. Yugi was shaking by the time they arrived. He understood the urgency to get Jounouchi to the hospital, but killing themselves along the way was out of the question, not that he would tell Kaiba that. Once his heart calmed enough, he left the car and led Kaiba up the cracked sidewalk with weeds peaking through each hole. The house was small and dark with most of the walls looking as if they would fall apart. Kaiba was appalled that someone would live in a rundown place like that.

Yugi knocked on the door and Kaiba could have sworn he saw it cave in with the gentle knock. They waited several seconds, but no answer came. The tri-colored hair man tried the door, shocked to see that it was unlocked. He turned the knob and pushed the squeaky door slowly opened, calling out Jounouchi's name. Kaiba shivered to the intense cold of the house. He tried the light switch by the door, noting that there was no electricity. Yugi walked through the empty living room and into the only other room beside the kitchen. He knew Jounouchi was struggling, but he didn't think it was bad enough that he didn't have any utilities. He found his friend buried under several blanks, sleeping and shivering.

"Kaiba," he shouted, not liking the pale, flushed face that poked out of the cocoon he had himself buried in. He tried to wake the obviously sick man, but Jounouchi wouldn't budge.

The brunet walked in, placing his hand on his forehead. "Get the door. We need to get him to the hospital right away." Kaiba leaned down, lifting up the surprising light man along with the blankets and started for the door. Yugi opened and closed everything along the way. He sat in the back with Jounouchi's head on his lap. He could feel the heat radiating from his forehead. Kaiba drove quickly through the streets, this time not bothering the King of Games.

Yugi was surprised that they didn't arrive at the nearest hospital, but Kaiba's private hospital that treated mainly Kaiba Corp.'s employees and the Kaiba brothers, but also anyone else that seek help. The CEO opened the door and gently took Jounouchi into his arms. He walked into the hospital, barking orders, "I need a doctor here right away."

Several nurses appeared in front of the CEO, one pushing a gurney along with the older doctor with graying black hair running beside him. "What happened?"

"He had a severe cough and was found unconscious in his freezing home. I don't think there was any heat."

"What is his name?"

"Jounouchi Katsuya."

"Does he have a next of kin to contact?"

Yugi moved around Kaiba. "No. His mother basically abandoned him last year at the same time his father died, and his sister lives with his mother who doesn't let them meet except for once a year. I'm his best friend."

"Either one of us will be the contact person," Kaiba added.

The doctor nodded, listening to Jounouchi's lungs. "Get him to room one, schedule a chest x-ray and draw two tubes of blood to start. We'll take care of him, Kaiba-sama. The waiting area is through the door to the left. Let the nurse know if you go anywhere."

"Thank you, Doctor."

Yugi bit his lip nervously. "Will they be able to help him?"

"I don't see why not. I only hire the best." Kaiba moved towards the waiting room, pulling out his phone along the way. After he arranged for food to be delivered, he called his brother, giving him an update. "You can call any of his friends," Kaiba said while he put his phone away and took his laptop out from his briefcase. He ignored the small about of food that was left at the table. Yugi showed no signs of wanting it either.

"I think I'll wait until we know how he is. I don't want anyone badgering him about what happened or what he was thinking. He shouldn't have to explain himself right now. I know how much he has been struggling, and the others haven't understood." Yugi made his way towards the chair beside Kaiba and sat down. He took a piece of sushi but that was all he wanted.

Yugi didn't know how long he waited for the doctors; hours or minutes could have gone by. The only thing he was aware of was Kaiba's rapid fingers flowing over his laptop. It seemed like the King of Games was trapped in an eternal loop of nothing but the white walls and the tapping of fingers. Finally the doctor came into the room, removing his mask and gloves along the way.

He approached Kaiba first, not surprising to Yugi. "Jounouchi-san will pull through, but he'll have to remain here for a few days to a couple weeks. He has double pneumonia and he has malnutrition and dehydration. We thought a few of his fingers and toes were frostbitten, but we managed to warm them enough."

"Is he awake?"

"He's been coming in and out of consciousness. I can lead you to his room if you would like to see him."

"I would," Kaiba turned his gaze to Yugi. "Do you want to call his friends now before we see him?"

Yugi shook his head. "No. Let him recover a little first." The tri-colored hair man felt guilty about hiding this from his friends; unfortunately he could predict their reaction and how much they would pester his friend. Yugi himself is barely keeping his emotions under control. He knew Jounouchi was noble and proud, but he never expected his friend to wait this long before seeking help. Half of him felt like the blond was giving up on life and he just wanted to fade away, while the other half knew he was too stubborn and proud to go to the hospital regardless of being able to afford it.

Kaiba placed his laptop back in his briefcase, pleased to hear that Yugi wanted to still keep his other friends in the dark, not that he would ever tell him that. He would have chosen to do the same thing if he was in Yugi's situation. Kaiba ignored the food, thinking that either someone would eat it or throw it away. "Right this way," the doctor said, leading them down the deserted white halls. Only a few patients resided in the rooms leading to Jounouchi's room. He knew the hospital was privately owned by him and expected it to not have many patients, but he never advertised that only his employees and their families were allowed here. He sighed, sure that it had to do with that many people fear him more than them willing to seek help at his hospital. He had to do something about that or else the hospital and his staff may start to struggle.

The doctor stopped outside of Jounouchi's room. He didn't move inside and allowed the two all the time they needed in order to prepare themselves before entering. He understood that some people had difficulty seeing someone they love lying in a hospital bed. Kaiba didn't even hesitate to enter. He had never been one to second guess or linger on a decision, but when he entered that dimly lit room, his step faltered. Jounouchi was pale and hooked to several machines. A long tube connected to a bag that was obvious the saline drip to help with his dehydration hung above the machine to the left. A breathing apparatus sat slightly behind the bed, pumping air every few seconds.

Yugi launched himself beside the blond, taking his hand. He didn't say anything, afraid of waking his sickly friend. Kaiba pulled one of the chairs over to Yugi and placed it behind him. He turned to the doctor and bowed slightly. "Thank you for helping him," he commented. Those few words sounded foreign on his lips, but it was something he felt he needed to say.

The surprised doctor bowed. "Do not be alarmed by the breathing apparatus. He breaths on his own, but this is to help his lungs. He needs to wear that while he's lying down. Page a nurse if you need anything or if he wakes and becomes distressed. He may wake on his own and react fine." He left quickly afterwards, not sure want to think of the sudden change in the man labeled the Ice Dragon. He didn't want to be anywhere near when the man suddenly changed back to his normal personality.

The CEO moved over to the other chair, placing the briefcase down and looking over at Yugi. "Sit down before you fall down."

Yugi glanced over at Kaiba before doing what he said. "You don't have to stay if you don't want. I'm very appreciative of what you did so far."

"I'll leave if you want me to."

Yugi gasped. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm sure you're busy with Christmas almost here."

The brunet sighed and leaned further into the chair. "I appreciate you thinking of me, but all the work that I need to do could be accessed through my laptop. I have a lot of work to still do so I can stay awake if you want to sleep. You look like you're about to collapse."

Yugi rubbed his tired eyes. "Thank you. Wake me if you have to leave. I know you also take care of Mokuba."

"Don't worry about Mokuba. He can take care of himself. If he needs me, he can call my cellphone. Now get some rest," the CEO ordered, reaching for his briefcase. He knew that he should go to the office, but something inside of him told him not to leave the sickly blond or his exhausted rival. He watched as Yugi pulled his legs up into chair and curled up there instead of the other bed that was behind him. Kaiba shook his head, not bothering to say anything to the shorter man about his choice.

He accessed the documents he needed from earlier and continued on his work. He only had two more reports to finish before he started on the next day's work. He was pleased to see that he now had enough merchandise in all the stores to make it even after Christmas. He spent hours working on the reports in the slightly quiet room. He would look up at Jounouchi every now and then, attempting to figure out why he would stubbornly not seek help. Kaiba sighed, not noticing that he was spending more and more time staring at his ex-rival. He drifted asleep without even knowing.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Kaiba awoke the next morning to a slightly quiet argument. He groaned as his sore muscles screamed in pain from the movement. He shouldn't have fallen asleep at such an awkward angle. He opened his eyes, blinking to clear his vision and looking over at the group of people now gathered in the room. Yugi was clearly not fairing well with the other two angry friends. "Why do you bother helping him? It's not like this is the first time he did something like this. He's not going to learn if you keep doing that," Honda hissed, towering over his shorter friend.

"He's right, Yugi. If you keep helping him without him asking he'll never learn to seek our help before it's too late," Anzu agreed.

"Some friends you are," Kaiba sneered. "You know nothing about him if you think that he'll learn if you don't help him before it's too late. He's lived most of his life struggling to make ends meet and to be more than just a junkyard bum. He probably thinks he doesn't deserve any help or doesn't want to put any strain on any of you. Have you ever thought of that? You think someone's pride is going to make them suffer for so long. I don't think so. Even I would ask for help if I was seriously ill." The brunet turned his gaze back onto the blond. "He was trying to prove to everyone that he could do this on his own, wanted to do this on his own." He turned his eyes back to them. "If you are here to throw this back in his face, leave now. You will cause more damage to him that way."

"You're one to talk," Honda said, advancing on the brunet. "You have never been nice to him. In fact, I'm surprised that you even listened to Yugi and came to his aid. You also haven't even bothered to talk to him longer than to insult him. How would you know what he's like?"

"I watch him."

"What?"

"A person speaks more with their body than their mouth."

"And what is that suppose to mean?"

The CEO rolled his eyes. "If someone tells you they are fine, do you believe them? Judging by what you have been saying you do. What if someone who is severely depressed tells you that they are fine and goes home and kills themselves? You would probably claim you didn't know they were depressed. If you watch their body closely, you can see things you never knew. Jounouchi over there was depressed through high school and unless things changed is still depressed. I could tell because his shoulders would slump when he thought no one was looking. There wasn't much light in his eyes even though he was smiling and laughing. How many times did he tell you guys he was tired? That's a common excuse for someone that is depressed and doesn't want to smile that day or can't seem to find the energy to keep their mask firmly in place."

"He's right," Yugi said softly. "I've seen him staring out the window several times when he comes to visit and especially when we were at school."

Anzu crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't agree with him. Jounouchi had never shown any signs of being depressed. He's never done any of what Kaiba said he did."

"Shut up all of you," a soft voice said, followed by a long stream of coughs.

Yugi moved quickly over to the blond. "Easy, Jounouchi." Jounouchi placed his hand over his chest and closed his eyes while the coughing eased. The King of Games placed his hand over the blond's. "Slow breaths. That's it. Do you need something to drink or for me to call the doctor?"

"Some water would be great," Jounouchi said, voice cracking from the strain. Yugi moved away from the bed, giving the blond a perfect view of his other two friends. "You two need to leave."

"What?" Anzu gasped.

"I can't rest with you two here and fighting with each other. They were here part of the day yesterday and all night and didn't make any noise. Please leave." He closed his eyes and pulled the blanket up, shivering slightly.

Anzu and Honda stayed, staring at him. They were about to say something when Kaiba walked over with a blanket he took from the other bed. "You heard him. When he's better, he'll talk to you. Right now you are to do as he said. Leave." He glared up at them after tucking the blond in when they still didn't move. "Do you need directions or an escort?"

Honda snorted and stormed out of the room, followed by Anzu with her head bowed. Yugi breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Kaiba. I thought they would be okay if I explained it to them first on the phone, but they came in irritated. I'm sorry, Jounouchi."

The ex-duelist shook his head. "Not your fault. I do bring that on myself."

"That's not true."

"I just can't do anything right this year. I tried to live on my own. I tried to make my life worth something, but I fail at everything."

"Jounouchi," Yugi whispered. He hated hearing his friend saying those things. He didn't think his depression was that bad, and he berated himself for not checking on the blond more.

Kaiba placed his hand under Jounouchi's chin and tilted his gaze over towards him. "That's nonsense. If you failed at everything, your sister wouldn't defy her mother to come see you around Christmas. You wouldn't have been the runner up at Duelist Kingdom or in third place at Battle City. Both of those times you put up a great fight and were just unlucky. Yugi was a duelist longer than you and is a genius strategist, but you put up a great fight, and he struggled several times to beat you. In Battle City, you took a direct hit from Ra, managed to get back up and were seconds away from winning when you fell unconscious. If you would have called an attack, you would have gone further and who knows how far that would have been. You tried to live on your own, but you started out with nothing and were trying to get somewhere. You managed for a year and just couldn't do it anymore. You don't make enough, and you'll dig yourself into an early grave if you keep working all the time. You need to find one job that pays enough."

"Who would hire a bum like me?"

"Wait until Christmas and maybe Santa Claus will bring you a special present this year."

Jounouchi stared up at him. "I don't want a job from you out of pity."

"When have I ever done anything out of pity? Rest now and we'll talk more later." Kaiba looked up at Yugi. "I'm going for some coffee and to see if Jounouchi can eat anything. Do you want something?"

Yugi shook his head. "I got something earlier when I was calling Honda and Anzu."


	2. Chapter 2

Kaiba walked out of the room, already knowing that he would have a job waiting for Jounouchi after he recovered. He knew that the jobs the blond currently had would not be there after he recuperated. It would be a long road of recovery for Jounouchi. The CEO stopped at the nurse's station. "Jounouchi is awake. Is there anything he can eat?"

"We'll get a meal prepared for him right away, Kaiba-sama. Did you want us to page the doctor?"

"Not unless he has to check on him before he eats. He's calm and knows where he is. Also the two that just left, the girl and the tall brunet, are not to see Jounouchi unless Yugi or I are present."

"Understood, Kaiba-sama. I have their names and description. I'll make note of that. Please make sure the two of you sign in and out so we know."

"We will." Kaiba moved away from the desk and traveled down the brightly lit hallways, following the directions to the cafe. Even though he submitted and approved the requests for the building, he only had been here once. Nothing severely had happened to either himself or Mokuba. The sounds of people talking and machines running indicated that he was nearing the cafe.

The second he entered, all the conversations stopped. He tried not to show his irritation. That was one thing he hated the most about people recognizing him. He ordered a large cup of dark coffee and two breakfast sandwiches. He wasn't sure what they would give Jounouchi to eat or if Yugi would be hungry eventually, but he knew the second sandwich wouldn't go to waste. His order didn't take long either because they were afraid of him or wanting to get him out of the place.

He took everything back down the long hallways until he reached Jounouchi's room. When he entered his heart skipped a beat at seeing the empty bed. At first he thought the blond was worst than what the doctor originally said, however, his fears ended when he heard the flush of a toilet. The bathroom door opened and Jounouchi walked out with the help of Yugi. The blond settled tenderly under both blankets while Yugi pushed the machine back in place. The strain of the walk showed brightly in the ex-duelist face. Jounouchi pulled the tube for the breathing apparatus around his head and placed it back in his nose like the nurse showed. He took several breaths until the pain subsided.

Kaiba walked over and dropped one of the sandwiches in Jounouchi's lap. "What is that?"

"Food the last time I checked. Are you hungry?"

"A little," the blond responded truthfully.

"Eat it. They are also bringing you a meal, but this should be enough for now."

Jounouchi unwrapped the parchment paper, instantly getting a whiff of eggs, sausage and cheese. His stomach growled loudly. He must have been hungrier than he thought. He took a large bite of the biscuit sandwich, enjoying the taste of it. It had been awhile since he last ate something as delicious as that. He didn't pay attention to anyone else in the room. It was like the sandwich was the only thing that existed.

Kaiba hid his smile behind his own sandwich. It pleased him to see the blond eating. At least he wasn't depressed enough to deny himself food. It explained that the malnutrition was a result of his lack of money and nothing more. That was something he was sure going fix. He glanced over at his rival who mouthed the words, "Thank you," to him. He didn't want nor need his appreciation. He was determined to bring the blond back to hopefully the personality that attracted Kaiba to him. Jounouchi was not afraid of him and would speak his mind. That was the type of person he was most attracted to.

The CEO leaned over and took his laptop out of the briefcase, but stopped midway through the motion by Jounouchi's loud gasp. "You left that here!"

"Yes, why?"

"You let go of the briefcase?"

"Do you have a point?"

"I thought the briefcase was surgically attached to your hand."

Yugi snorted, hiding his chuckles behind his hand. Kaiba crossed his legs and placed the laptop on the table beside him. "Do you know how hard it would be to do things if I had that done?"

"I'm sure. Showering, eating and not to mention if you had to take a shit."

Kaiba sighed, but his eyes sparkled from the slight laughter he was hiding. "Oh? Do you require two hands to have a movement?"

"Yep."

"And why is that?"

"One to hold on to something."

Yugi nearly busted out in laughter until he noticed Kaiba's expression changing. He looked over at his best friend and knew why the brunet looked disappointed. "Why are you hiding?" Kaiba asked. "You heard me explain to your friends that I knew you were depressed. I'm not going to judge you if all you want to do is stare at the wall. Why can't you be yourself around me? I know I teased you, but I've just acknowledged that it was wrong of me."

The blond tossed the wrapping at Kaiba. "It's because of you. You never show what you're feeling. You are never yourself either. Why should I become the real me when you're fake?"

"You wouldn't believe the reason I have to hide."

"I could say the same thing."

"That's not true. I would believe that you were depressed, and you wanted to get better. I believe you don't like being depressed, but you can't help it because life likes throwing dirt at you. I want to give you a present and you don't trust that. Why?"

"Why should you of all people give me something?"

"I guess reconciliation wouldn't be an adequate answer for you."

"Of course not. What is the real reason you helped me?"

"If I told you, you wouldn't want my help. I'd rather keep that hidden until your life is finally back on track and you are happier."

"I won't accept anything from you unless you tell me."

Kaiba sighed and thought for a few minutes. He knew Jounouchi would never accept the fact that he cared about him as the reason. He didn't know how to get around this whole situation without taking the risk. Jounouchi would stubbornly refuse anything until he received the information he desired. With everything decided, he walked over to the blond. His mask faded away, revealing his true feelings. He was scared of what he planned to do and Jounouchi's reaction. He didn't want to lose him forever. He reached down and placed his hand on his cheek. "I care about you." He slowly leaned down, giving the blond a chance to turn his head or punch him before their lips met, but he didn't do anything, allowing Kaiba the opportunity to kiss him. In fact, he matched his motion, returning the kiss.

Jounouchi's lips felt like a dream against his own. They were slightly chapped, slowly moistening. He didn't fight Kaiba, nor showed any desire for the kissing to stop. In fact, he wrapped his arms around the brunet's neck and pulled him closer. Each tug pulled the CEO closer into the bed until he had to place his knee on the mattress just to stop the pain of colliding with the side of the bed. The ex-duelist weaved his fingers through the soft brunet hair, pulling slightly. Kaiba gasped, giving Jounouchi the opportunity to slide his tongue into the coffee tinted cavern. Their tongues twirled and glided across each other, deepening their passion. The CEO placed his hand on the pillow beside the blond's head to help prevent himself from collapsing on the sick man. His legs felt like gelatin, and the only feeling he had left was the slight tingling in his toes.

When Jounouchi pulled again on Kaiba's neck, he broke away slightly, gasping for air. "If you pull me any closer, I'll be on the bed."

Jounouchi coughed a few times, attempting to hold in his pain in order for him not to ruin the happiest and saddest moment the past year gave him. "And you say you're a genius."

Kaiba kissed his cheek before reaching up and pulling his arms down. "I should have known better than to do that. You're lungs must be hurting."

"It was worth it and now I can see you close enough. You look worst than me," he whispered, running his fingers along the dark circles around the brunet's eyes.

"It's a busy time of the year. Every country I have ties with celebrates Christmas differently and requires different supplies to meet the demands of the consumers. I usually take a week off after Christmas."

"You've changed. You never took a day off for anything."

"A lot has changed since I last saw you."

"I can tell. Did these feelings develop in that time?"

"Yes. At first I was angry and couldn't believe that I would miss someone like you. Mokuba opened my eyes to the truth and told me to find you. I found where you worked, but that was all I could do before this, and I hate to say it, fear moved in. In fact, why am I telling you all of this? Does it really matter?" he asked, moving slightly away from the blond.

Jounouchi reached out his arm and caught his wrist. "It does. I want to know your feelings." Kaiba frowned and looked over at Yugi who blinked, obviously not judging them. He had a smile on his face and remained silent. A tug on his wrist brought his gaze back down to the blond. "Don't worry about him. He's my best friend. He won't think any less of you. You both can continue to be rivals."

The brunet sat on the mattress. "What do you want to know?"

"Why you chose me out of everyone in the world? I'm sure there are others more qualified."

Kaiba smiled softly. "You're not afraid of me."

"What?"

"When I walk into a room, you don't stop your conversation. If I do something you don't approve, you have no problem telling me your opinion. When you're healthy your hair shines like golden silk, and I have every desire to touch it to see if it's as soft and smooth and it looks. When you're happy, your eyes sparkle and every fiber of your being glows. You have a strong personality that never falters to your beliefs. You have this uncanny ability to lift yourself up from anything. You can do anything you set your mind to and keep trying until you succeed at it. You are perfect in every way even when you are truly annoying."

A tear ran down Jounouchi's cheek before he started laughing, interrupted only by his coughs. His laughs and coughs slowly diminished before he leaned up and kissed the brunet. "You watch me too closely if you see all that. Did you know if you showed more of this side of you, more people would fall in love with you for you and not just for your looks and money? I wish I could be one of them and return your feelings."

Kaiba slipped off the mattress and moved over to his laptop with his back turned to everyone. He didn't know what hurt the most, know that Jounouchi didn't feel anything for him or that he was allowed to kiss him to begin with and then was rob the opportunity for more. He understood clearly what the blond was saying. He closed his eyes, breathing slowly until he had all his feelings carefully hidden behind the mask. "I understand. Don't worry about the hospital bills, this place is completely funded by Kaiba Crop. Also, don't forget to stop by Kaiba Corp. for your new job. By the time you recover fully, your other jobs won't accept you back." He placed the laptop in the briefcase. "The utilities and your rent have been paid off and there are credits on all of them for the next three months. I hope you feel better soon. Merry Christmas," he said, leaving the room quickly. He needed time to do everything he said and do his reports for the day. He had no time to dwell on his hurt feelings.

Yugi stared at the door for a few seconds before turning his eyes back to Jounouchi who had already buried himself under the blankets. "Why did you do that? I know you love him. Can't you see how much he loves you? That was your chance to be happy." The blond turned away from his friend, cursing as the wires attached to him pulled slightly. "Jounouchi?"

The shorter man got up and ran out of the room, determined to catch Kaiba before he disappeared. He worried that the brunet was hurting more than he showed. He couldn't believe that his friend did something like that. He could see the love each other held for the other one and couldn't understand why Jounouchi would do something like that. He managed to get to the garage only to see that Kaiba had already left. He staggered back a few steps, leaning against a nearby wall. He had no idea how to fix this whole thing. He wandered around the hospital, thinking about everything that happened. He knew that there was nothing he could do to fix this besides putting them both in the same room and praying that Jounouchi honestly admits that he loves Kaiba not only to himself but to the CEO.

Yugi didn't realize that several hours went by until his phone rang. Digging it out of his pocket, he answered it recognizing the number. "Hello, Mokuba."

"I'm sure you're still with Jounouchi, but Seto isn't answering his cellphone. Is he there with you?"

That question was like cold ice in his veins. "He's not here. He left several hours ago."

"Okay. He might be at the office than. Why did he leave?"

Yugi frowned. "There was a misunderstanding between your brother and Jounouchi. He decided to leave."

"Was he rejected?"

"Yes, but I don't understand why. Jounouchi clearly loves him."

"Maybe he's afraid to admit things to Seto. We can figure this out later once Jounouchi is feeling better. How is Jounouchi doing anyway?"

"He has double pneumonia. He may need to be here for a few days. I'm going to stay with him to make sure he heals properly. I have this feeling that he would check out the second I leave for a long period of time." Yugi gasped at his own realization and started back towards his friend's room. "I have to go, Mokuba, call me if you still can't get in contact with your brother or if you need to talk." He hung up the phone and moved quickly back to the room. He was shocked to not only see Jounouchi still in the room but sound asleep. He sat down in the chair and closed his eyes.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Several days went by, not that Kaiba noticed. It was now Christmas Eve, and he didn't have much work left before he called it quits for the next ten days. He looked out the window of his office, seeing the start of the winter storm that the meteorologist predicted to begin that night. He closed his laptop with a heavy sigh and packed it away into the briefcase. Every employee had already gone home for the day, leaving him and one security guard that was waiting for him in the lobby. He didn't want to prevent the loyal man from seeing his family early. He could always finish the last of his workload at home.

Taking the elevator to the first floor, he saw the guard stand from his station. "Thank you for waiting. You may lock up and go home to your family. Sorry for taking so long," he said, walking out of the building. He hadn't talked much in the past few days, and when he did, he found himself saying things he normally wouldn't. He looked over at the car he used to drive himself here that morning and chose to keep it in the parking garage which would be secure once the alarm system was turned on. Putting his hand in his pocket, he started the long walk home. It wasn't the first time he walked to or from the office and probably won't be the last time until he fully recovered from Jounouchi's rejection.

The cold air and snow swirled around him, but Kaiba didn't seem to notice. This was the first Christmas he wasn't excited for. Watching Mokuba open his gifts and seeing the excitement on his face was all the CEO ever needed to make him happy during the most stressful time of the year. He was always curious on what his brother would think of getting him. Sometimes it would be something he found in the store and sometimes it was something he made. He always liked the things Mokuba made him the best. He turned the corner and spotted his house in the distance. It was brightly lit with white and red lights. Wreaths and green garland hung along the top of the stone wall that surrounded his property. It was beautifully decorated by a company he hired. He never appreciated it until that day. He didn't understand why being broken hearted was enough for him to change the way he view the world.

Kaiba walked into the house for once not attacked by his younger brother. Confused, he looked around the dark house but didn't find him. It wasn't like his brother to leave the mansion without a note. He took his phone out and looked at it, wanting to call Mokuba just to ask where he was, but he knew that there was a reason his younger brother didn't tell him. Maybe he didn't get him anything yet for Christmas, and he was trying to find something. The CEO walked over to the security system and read through the files. It appeared that his brother left a few hours ago. He moved over to his study and pulled up the camera system. If he saw Mokuba leaving by himself, he'll call the younger man. Finally getting the time inputted into the system, he saw that his brother left with Yugi of all people. He didn't understand why he would go with Yugi, but clearly Mokuba didn't want him to know.

Sighing, the brunet walked out of his study and into the living that was only lit by the Christmas tree that sat in the corner with Mokuba's presents underneath. Moving over to the closest, he removed a gift that he got for Jounouchi last year. He never had the courage to give it to the blond. He snorted and walked back into the living room, sitting down on the couch. "I had only been afraid of one thing in my life and now this. I guess I won't need you anymore," he thought. He tried destroying the gift once before, but every time he touched the wrapping paper, he stopped what he was doing. It was like this one little gift held all the hope he had to a relationship with the blond, but now that he'd confirmed that Jounouchi had no feelings for him, he didn't know why he still hesitated to unwrap it.

Kaiba slid his fingers along the edges of the box, his once emotionless expression slowly fading away. He pulled his legs up and placed his head on the package. Even now, he couldn't think of harming the gift. He leaned against the side of the couch, thinking of the last two reports that still needed to be done. He had no desire to even look at them. "I can always do them tomorrow when Mokuba is playing with his gifts. What else better do I have to do?" The CEO shook his head. He couldn't believe how depressing his thoughts have been. Did it really hurt him that much when he was rejected?

He placed the gift gently down on the floor. Even though his anger was about ready to explode, he still could not harm the package. He stood and flipped the table in front of him over. Everything that was on top crashed to the floor in shards. The glass that was in the middle of the table didn't crack under the broken pieces of the decorations that sat on it. He flipped the couch over, picked the lamp up and tossed it. He hated this holiday. He hated feeling depressed. He hated being alone. His rapid breathing slowed as his anger disappeared. Why did he feel like he was alone? He had Mokuba. He didn't have any friends, but Yugi always classified them as friends. He had plenty of staff and even his loyal guard, Isono. He didn't need anyone in his life. He was perfectly fine the way he was. He glared down at the gift. That was the cause of his uncertainty and his pain. He didn't need it anymore. There was no point. No one could ever love someone as cold hearted and emotionless as him. He didn't deserve it, not with all the evil he had done.

Kaiba picked the gift up and moved into the kitchen. He needed to destroy the source of his pain. Just knowing that it was still in the house reminded him of his first kiss with Jounouchi. He grabbed the nearest butcher knife and aimed it right at the package when the doorbell chimed. He stopped midway through the motion and stared at the box. Why does fate not want this thing destroyed? "Stay there," he hissed, as if talking to a person. "I'll be back to dismantle you later." He placed the knife down beside the gift to remind him what he planned to do. He didn't know who would be visiting him on Christmas Eve, nor did he think to check before he ripped the door open, nearly pulling it off the hinges. He froze on the spot when he became face to face with Jounouchi.

The blond coughed, pushing Kaiba out of his trance. He grabbed his arm and pulled him into the mansion, closing the door behind him. "You should not be out in this weather."

"I wasn't for long. They released me today, but they needed you to sign the paperwork as well since you were paying for everything. Yugi called here, but Mokuba said you hadn't been answering your phone which usually means that you were struggling to get your work down before taking some time off. He said he would come down and sign the papers so I could go home for Christmas. I asked Yugi to drop me off at Kaiba Corp. so I can talk to you. Mokuba spotted your car, but the place was complete dark and secured. He said you probably walked home. That sounds like a silly thing for a CEO to do on a very cold, snowy Christmas Eve. Your brother said you were barely talking, eating and sleeping for the past few days. Were you that busy?" Jounouchi asked, taking off the heavy jacket, gloves, hat and scarf Yugi bought him for Christmas.

He moved into the only room that was lit, stopping just inside the doorway. "You were angry at something."

"What do you want to talk about? I still have work that needs to be done."

"Is that why you were so angry that you decided to destroy some of your living room? You're not going to finish it in time for Christmas."

Kaiba glanced at the clock, seeing that it was nearly midnight. How long did he sit there, tormented by his thoughts? "Maybe. How about if you stop focusing on me and tell me what you want?"

"The reason you haven't been eating, talking or sleeping isn't because you were busy or at least it's not directly because you were busy. It's because I rejected you. That must have been the first time you didn't get what you wanted besides being beaten by Yugi in a duel. I didn't think you would react like that."

"You're wrong. I've been extremely busy and didn't have time to eat or sleep. I hardly ever talk so I don't know how that could be used against me." Kaiba walked over to the couch and flipped it back over. "There's always a chance when a guy asks a girl out that he would be rejected. There is even a higher percentage when a guy asks another guy out, especially knowing that he's straight. I'm not depressed over it," he lied, picking up the surprisingly undamaged lamp. There was a dent in the wall that could be fixed later. He placed the lamp back on the table and turned it on so he could see the glass.

Jounouchi watched as Kaiba slowly cleaned up the mess he made, amazed that he didn't leave it for someone else to do. The brunet flipped the table back over and started putting the glass shards into the broken glass bowl. "I think you're lying."

The CEO stopped and glared up at him. "And what makes you say that?"

"It's your turn to be analyzed. Let's started with the plainly obvious. Your personality has changed. I would have never expected you to clean up something that you destroyed in a fit of rage. You always thought of yourself and Mokuba. If it came down to inconveniencing you or someone else it would be that someone else, but your company is locked up and you still have work to do. Mokuba told me for several years you would work clear into midnight, and the poor night guard that had to wait for you to leave would have to stay there as well, but tonight, you left at nine o'clock according to your brother. You chose to allow that suffering man to go home to his family and work from here where there could have been a chance that Mokuba would prevent you from doing that. Very noble and very un-Kaiba-like. Your choice to leave your car in the garage and walk home, something that Mokuba says you've been doing a lot more lately than before, is something that you don't normally do. Your brother says that it should have only taking you a half hour, maybe forty-five minutes at the most with the snow."

Jounouchi leaned against the wall, watching as Kaiba placed even the smallest glass shards in the bowl. "You turned the alarm off an hour an half after your guard alarmed the building, which I assumed he had to do other things after you left first so you could have been walking for nearly two hours. That's awfully slow, Kaiba. Someone with a lot on their mind or depressing thoughts could do that without realizing it. If you were concerned about the work you had to finished, you wouldn't have taken that long. Now, that was around half passed ten, you had an hour and a half in this mansion to work on your reports, which you haven't because your briefcase is still right by the door. I know it didn't take you an hour and a half to destroy all these things. So, what have you been doing? Thinking about why I rejected you. Probably even coming to the realization that no one would want someone like you, and that is why you destroyed half of your living room."

Kaiba hissed as his finger slid along one the shards. Blood dripped along the rug and bowl. Jounouchi sighed and grabbed several tissues from the box on the other table and pressed it against the brunet's fingers. "When you cut yourself, you should always apply pressure and not stare at it." He pulled on his arms until Kaiba finally stood up. "I'm assuming your kitchen is passed the dining room. I need to clean it up and see if it's deep enough to need stitches."

The CEO tried to pull away. "It's just a scratch. I can handle it myself after you leave. You can use my phone to call Yugi to come and pick you up."

"If it was a scratch, it wouldn't bleed that much. Plus, Yugi has a date tonight." Kaiba stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh, you didn't know. Well sorry about that surprise on Christmas."

"I can take you home then. Mokuba will come home once he's done."

"You don't want me going into the kitchen. Why? What were you doing before I got here?" Jounouchi turned, forgetting about Kaiba's wound and entering into the kitchen. The first thing he saw was the gift and then he saw the knife beside it. "That's for me, isn't it?" Jounouchi asked, once Kaiba stood next to him. "It seems dusty. How old is it?" Kaiba remained silent. "Fine don't answer me. Judging by the knife beside it and the look of the living room, you were going to destroy it."

The blond reached for Kaiba's hand and took him over to the sink, unwrapping the blood stained tissues. He placed his hand under the water, ignoring the groan he heard from the taller man. "It looks like it's slowing. Do you have a flashlight?"

"Last drawer on the right." Jounouchi returned with the small flashlight and moved Kaiba's fingers out of the water. He leaned in closely and moved the torn skin aside. "That hurts."

The blond rolled his eyes. "I know. I need to make sure you still don't have glass in it. Where's your first aid kit?"

"Underneath the sink."

Jounouchi pulled the small white box out and smiled as he noticed a magnifier. He took that out and got a closer look at the wound before cleaning the wound once more, adding some antibacterial ointment and wrapping the finger up. "There almost as good as new. Can I open it?"

"No. It'll be destroyed once I get you back home."

"Why would you do that? I know about it now, and it wouldn't make a difference if I got it."

"No. It needs to be destroyed."

"So it's a gift if we were together. I guess I'll have to reevaluate my decision."

Kaiba growled. "Don't mock me. I know you don't care about me. I'll get you something else for Christmas."

"I lied in the hospital. I was afraid, too. Afraid that you were playing mind games. Afraid that I was dreaming. So afraid of what I really wanted for Christmas that I didn't tell anyone, not even Santa Claus." Jounouchi heard the clock chiming from the living room. "I wonder if it's too late to tell Santa Claus what I want. Would he give it to me? I guess I could try. What I want for Christmas is the same thing I've wanted last year. I want Kaiba Seto to love me."

The chiming stopped, leaving the place completely silent. Kaiba stared at the blond, seeing the slight doubt in his eyes. He turned and picked up the gift behind him. He handed it Jounouchi. "I asked Santa Claus for him to give me the opportunity to tell you that I love you. Merry Christmas, Katsuya."

"But I didn't get you anything for Christmas."

"Yes you did. You gave me the greatest gift I could ever want. You."

Jounouchi smiled before setting the gift on the table. He unwrapped it and opened the box. He gasped and looked back at Kaiba. "No wonder you wanted to destroy it if we weren't together. It's beautiful. How long did it take you to make it?"

"Not long. I made the original duel disks in a week."

The blond pulled his new duel disk out of the box, loving the design on it. It had his and Kaiba's name twirled together in the form of a heart along with both of their dragons embracing each other beside it. It wasn't a large disk, but it was enough to see the details that obviously went into it. Jounouchi placed it back in the box and walked over to where Kaiba still stood, frozen in his spot. He wrapped his arms around his neck, bringing Kaiba's head down so he could lock their lips together. "Merry Christmas, Seto."

The CEO smiled softly, kissing Jounouchi again. "What would you like to do?"

"You are going to sit down in the living room and finished whatever work you were trying to do while I make us a little Christmas snack that we can enjoy by that fireplace you obviously don't use."

Kaiba smiled. "Can you find everything?"

"I'll go looking for it. Go and finish your work so we can spend Christmas together."

The brunet smiled. "Thank you, Katsuya, for everything." His lover smiled at him before pushing him out of the kitchen. He chuckled and looked down at his damaged finger. Luckily he didn't need it in order to finish his work. He placed a log in the fireplace and lit it, instantly feeling the slight warmth coming from it. He walked over to the entrance to get his briefcase and grabbed a blanket on the way back to the living room.

After sitting down in front of the fireplace on the rug, he took the laptop out, and in what felt like a matter of seconds, he was able to finish the last of his reports. He was just finishing his work when Jounouchi walked into the room, holding a tray of deliciously smelling food. The blond handed over a cup of hot chocolate before settling beside him. He put the tray of small sandwiches, chips and sugar cookies in front of them. Jounouchi kissed Kaiba gently before staring at the fireplace. He felt better being so close to the brunet. "Do I want to know how long Yugi and my brother had been dating?"

Jounouchi chuckled, eating some of the sandwiches with Kaiba. "Nope. We'll save that surprise for next Christmas."

Kaiba didn't object to Yugi dating his brother, he just didn't like the fact that they hid it from him. He could forgive them, especially since he forgave Jounouchi for hurting him. The blond leaned against the CEO. He didn't realize how draining making food could be. Kaiba picked the blanket up off the floor and wrapped it around the both of them. He allowed Jounouchi to fall asleep, knowing that sleep is what the blond needed the most. They had all of Christmas and the next ten days to spend time with each other. That was the best Christmas gift Kaiba could ever get, and he had both Mokuba and Yugi to thank.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I hope you all liked it. It wasn't supposed to be this long, but I couldn't stop writing it once I finally got it started. Thank you all for reading. Please review.

Angel Dove


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